Sale offers chance to buy some of Loso's work

For the late Jim Loso's loved ones, it's time to sell his remaining pottery and allow his work to be passed on to other generations.

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Pottery pieces created by Jim Loso sit in storage Sunday.(Photo: Times photo)Buy Photo

Story Highlights

Local artist Jim Loso, who died in 2012, was well known for his porcelin and raku pottery

Loso's loved ones are organizing a final sale of his work

Sale pieces range from the fuctional to the decorative

ST. JOSEPH – Jean Loso's artist husband, Jim, died unexpectedly in November 2012 at the age of 71. She spent a year, with assistance, doing an inventory of his pottery.

She estimates there are about 1,300 pieces ("He was quite prolific.") She's set aside what she wants to keep for herself and her family. But as for the rest, it's time for it to go to new homes, she says.

"As much as I'd love to keep that, it doesn't make sense to try to hang on to that many pieces," said Jean, who was married to Jim for 35 years.

Jim Loso, who was involved with St. Joseph's annual Millstream Arts Festival, was well known in Central Minnesota for his award-winning pottery, which included porcelain and raku pieces (raku is a Japanese style of pottery that is fired at a low temperature and rapidly cooled). He attended Cathedral High School and graduated from St. Cloud State University. Jim Loso also was an art instructor for 41 years. When he came home from work, he would immediately go to his studio and start working, and wouldn't stop until 7 p.m. or so, Jean Loso said.

"He just loved working with clay," she said.

Jean Loso didn't want to sell her late husband's work piece by piece. One big sale over a few days made the most sense to her.

"I've had so many inquiries about people wanting to come out and take a look at what's there and making sure they have a piece of his," she said.

The artwork has been in her garage. Jean Loso got a scare last year when, during a June storm, a tree landed on the garage's roof. Luckily, none of the artwork was damaged.

"That made me think that it's time to do something by this summer, before we get other bad storms," she said.

Her husband was always known for having many styles, and they evolved over the years, she said. While doing the inventory, she was impressed and occasionally surprised by what she saw.

"It was a real discovery time for me, too, to see some pieces that I had ever forgotten about," Jean Loso said.

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(Photo: Times photo)

She'll be selling work that ranges from utilitarian (mugs, dishes) all the way to some of his most sophisticated pieces. At the time of this interview, she hadn't done pricing, but she estimated items would range from $5 up to about $300 for the most intricate pieces. For those who want to get a better idea of what the items look like, visit www.losopottery.com.

Damien Husen knows Jim Loso's studio well; he grew up there. He started hanging out there when he was 8 and would do odd jobs to help out Loso. Husen, of St. Joseph, evolved into an apprentice, and the now-adult eventually became more like Loso's partner and collaborator.

Husen says the fact that Loso was a teacher might be why he was able to help the youngster tap into such creativity.

"Nobody else was giving a then 10- or 11-year-old the kind of responsibility he was giving me," Husen said. "He let me cut my teeth on some of his stuff, which was very inspiring."

And the apprentice followed in his mentor's footsteps in more than one way: Husen now has the art teaching job in Elk River that Loso used to have. Husen knows firsthand how demanding that job can be — and it amazes him that Loso was able to give it his all during the day then go home and work into the night.

Jean Loso knows her husband "was a potter unlike other potters," and unique in his field. The couple would go to Florida in the winter where he'd take part in art shows, and he'd stand out, Jean Loso said.

"He could hold his own with any other national artist," she said.

Husen says he thinks people who attend the sale will be amazed. It's not full of picked-over items; it's some of Loso's most inspiring work.

"I think people will be blown away by what is actually there," he said.